Today's three wine recommendations are made from three different varietals from widely disparate regions and offer a range of prices.

2013 Domaine Serene Evenstad Reserve Chardonnay

Overall score: 17.5 (9 for quality, 8.5 for value)

Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with three scores score of 9 or higher. "Rich, crisp ripe red apples. Buttery. Long finish."

My score: 8.9. Great structure and mouth feel. Elegant.

The wine: Although less than 5 percent of Domaine Serene's total production is chardonnay, it's taken no less seriously than the flagship pinot noirs. Clonal variation and site-driven diversity are a big part of the success equation. Alcohol: 13.3 percent.

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About our recommendations

Eight to 12 tasters, a mix of industry professionals and knowledgeable consumers, convene once per month to sample 40 to 50 wines with Dale Robertson, the Chronicle's wine columnist. The grape varietals are identified, but the labels are covered, meaning the panelists know neither the name of the producer nor the country of origin. A 10-point scale is used, with a taster's score of 8.5 or higher considered a recommendation. The quality score is the average of the tasters' scores. The value score and, hence, the overall score are determined by Robertson once a wine has been selected to receive a recommendation. Value is based on the price listed.

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The winery: Ken and Grace Evenstad founded Domaine Serene Vineyards and Winery in 1989, purchasing 42 acres of just-logged land in the Dundee Hills of Oregon. These days, they also own 462 acres in Yamhill County in the Willamette Valley, of which 150 acres is planted to vine. Note: Our panel also unanimously recommends two Serene pinot noirs, Yamhill Cuvée ($41.54 at Spec's) and Evenstad Reserve ($64.39).

Winemaker notes: "The wine shows complex aromas of citrus blossom, stone fruit, nutmeg and crushed stone. These flavors carry through on the palate to display a balanced and elegant wine that delivers firm acidity, richness and persistence."

Critical acclaim: The Wine Enthusiast awarded a score of 95: "This is a sensational vintage for this cuvée and the wine offers intense fruit concentration and retains the opulence for which the winery is known."

Pairings: Steak béarnaise, grilled veal chops with mushrooms, turbot

Price: $49.39 at Spec's

2013 Roagna Perpetuae Barbera d'Alba

Overall score: 18.4 (8.9 for quality, 9.5 for value)

Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with four scores of 9. "Dusty dirt over red currants. Excellent minerality."

My score: 9. A classic barbera. Fruits and tannins sing in harmony.

The wine: Winemaker Igino Roagna routinely delivers intense fruit and great structure. In short, this is not your grandfather's barbera, which, produced in giant quantities, often tasted like battery acid. Alcohol: 14 percent.

The winery: Roagna, a third-generation winemaker, and his wife, Marina, built this Italian winery from the ground up, routinely putting in 14-hour days year after year. Located in the Roero region across the river from the big boys in Barolo and Barbaresco, it's a modern operation, but Roagna is as old school as they come. When he started shipping to Texas about a decade ago, he communicated with his importer, Douglas Skopp, by typing out letters and faxing them. He still doesn't have a website. The spelling of the wine's name is actually "Perpetua," but that word had been copyrighted in North America by a Canadian importer, who threatened to sue Skopp if he tried to bring it in under that name. Perpetua was the woman in times past who, choosing not to marry, dedicated her life to taking care of the parish priest.

Winemaker notes: No such thing. Roagna is a farmer, not a writer.

Pairings: Mushroom risotto, gnocchi in a tomato sauce, burgers

Price: $25.64 at Spec's

2014 Duckhorn Decoy Pinot Noir

Overall score: 18.9 (8.9 for quality, 10 for value)

Our tasters: Gave it a unanimous recommendation with a high score of 9.1. "Pomegranates on the nose, bright Bing cherries on the palate."

My score: 8.9. Round and fruity. Easy drinking.

The wine: A blend of grapes from the Russian River Valley, the Sonoma Coast and Carneros, the wine spent eight months aging in oak barrels, 75 percent new and 25 percent second vintage. Alcohol: 13.9 percent.

The winery: Located in Sonoma County, it was founded a quarter of a century ago as an offshoot of Dan Duckhorn's successful Napa Valley winery. Napa native Tyson Wolf is the head winemaker, but he profits from the input offered by the company's other winemakers. Goldeneye's Michael Accurso offers his two cents' worth on this pinot noir. The grapes are both estate grown and purchased from other vineyards.

Winemaker notes: "The wine displays a beautiful bouquet of fresh-picked strawberry, raspberry and blackberry, with hints of violet and white pepper. On the palate, the tannins are soft and silky, carrying the wine to a long, ripe berry finish.

Dale Robertson is the longest-tenured sports writer at a major daily newspaper in Texas, having spent 18 years with the Houston Post (1972-90) before joining the Houston Chronicle in the fall of 1990. His primary sports duties include covering the Texans, the Houston Marathon, the Shell Houston Open PGA tournament and the U.S. Men’s Clay Court Championship, a stop on the ATP World Tour. He’s also the Chronicle’s wine columnist while writing occasionally about health issues and travel destinations.